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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24931654">the great escapist</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/arkastadt/pseuds/arkastadt'>arkastadt</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>All For The Game - Nora Sakavic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Attempt at Humor, Found Family Feels, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Slow Burn, Social Media, disturbing amount of the nickname "shorty", neil &amp; allison the best bff duo that you will ever witness, the "exy doesnt exist" au</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:27:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,317</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24931654</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/arkastadt/pseuds/arkastadt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Neil's pretty sure he's a pro at staying invisible, so when Allison Reynolds, drama incarnate with six-inch rainbow high heels, demands to be his partner for an assignment and in return promises to get him a social as well as a love life, he simply doesn't understand what he did to deserve this.</p><p>Aka, the college au where exy doesn't exist, Neil is struggling, Allison is persistent, and Andrew is his usual mystic self.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>60</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>the great escapist</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I love exy I love the thrill of it but I was curious to explore what someone as stickball obsessed as Neil would do if he /didn't/ have that sport that got him through his brutal day to day life? So this is the result. This is as much as a character study and a "Neil accidentally finds a family" fic as a Neil and Andrew slow burn... just a little bit different..... Anyway. Enjoy</p><p>(title used to be "Learning to live" but i changed it to "the great escapist")</p><p>This fic has a <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7o9DR35EHnd69gXHSKddWR?si=FVmdBqztS2-Q_NgaGRCtkQ"><span class="u">playlist</span></a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Neil was more or less forced to become a pro at staying invisible and not attracting any unwanted attention so he can’t for the life of him figure out why the girl who looks like she stepped out of a fashion magazine jogs up to him and seizes him up with a look of determination after their professor announces they are going to work in pairs on a project for the next few weeks. If his oversized hoodie and faded jeans didn’t make him disappear into the background, then what else could he be missing about himself?</p><p>“Hi,” the girl says. “Allison. You’re Neil, right?”</p><p>His stomach twists at the fact that Allison already knows his name, but he wills himself to stay calm, his feet to keep moving. He nods.</p><p>“Listen, I’m tanking the class, and I could really use a good partner to help me pass. I know you’re decent, so what do you say about us helping each other out?”</p><p>Neil frowns. “What could you possibly have that I need?”</p><p>Instead of taking it as an offense like he hoped she would, Allison grins. “Money, for starters,” she replies, waving over his clothes before swinging her arm around his neck and dragging him along. “Friends. Contacts. Anything really. All you’ve got to do is ask, shorty.”</p><p>“No, thanks. I don’t need anything.”</p><p>“Oh, really? I’ve been in the same class with you for almost three months now, and I’ve seen you talk to other human beings how many times?” Her hand cuts through the air. “Zero. Rien.”</p><p>Neil shrugs and wiggles out of her clasp. “I’m here to get a degree. That’s all.”</p><p>“No,” Allison corrects, “that’s <em>sad. </em>Come on, I could introduce you to a few people. I know a lot of pretty girls, you know. Or maybe you’re more into boys?” When Neil continues to glare ahead, she provides, “Both?”</p><p>“Neither.”</p><p>“Too bad because you’re stuck with me anyway. Everyone else in the class looks like they either pick their nose or like they will murder me if I turn around.”</p><p>“What about all the people you hang out with?” Neil asks and regrets it immediately because it’s as good as admitting that he has been watching her. Which he has, but he has been doing that with everyone else in all his classes, too. Observing. Studying. Trying to find cracks that would tell Neil if he was being followed by one of his father’s men.</p><p>Allison’s grin is as brilliant as it is aggravating. “Like I said, I want to <em>pass. </em>So partners, sound good?”</p><p>“Fine,” he grinds out, not bothering to hide his annoyance, “but that’s it. I don’t need anything from you in return.”</p><p>“Sure thing, shorty,” she says, and her voice carries a promise of doing the exact opposite.</p>
<hr/><p>Neil hopes that this is one of those problems that will go away if he ignores it hard enough. As it is, the next day, Allison slides into the seat next to him in the study section of the library, bringing along the scent of coffee and expensive perfume.</p><p>The silent treatment only works until he gets done with his homework, and it gets awkward trying to find something else to do. If Neil’s stubborn, Allison is a master at perseverance.</p><p>Finally, he says, “I can work on the problems on my own. The prof won’t know.”</p><p>“I’m already here, so I might contribute a little.” She raises one perfectly curved brow. “Or are you that antisocial you can’t even stand me doing my part of the task?”</p><p>“I’m not antisocial.”</p><p>“Really? Then what are you?”</p><p>Neil opens his mouth and closes it again. Telling her that he’s just trying to stay low for his and everyone else’s safety is not an option. Maybe letting her think he’s an antisocial freak is the best choice here. Other people’s opinions of him have stopped bothering him a long time ago. He shrugs.</p><p>“See? Antisocial. We’re going to work on that, don’t worry.”</p><p>“I’d rather we not.”</p><p>“Uh-uh.”</p><p>Thankfully, they just focus on their assignment for the next hour instead of Neil’s personal life. But when he declares that it’s enough for today, Allison doesn’t remain in her seat. She follows him out.</p><p>“I’m pretty sure you’re going in the wrong direction,” Neil informs her, keeping his brisk pace.</p><p>Allison doesn’t acknowledge that claim. “So, what do you think of parties?”</p><p>“The GOP sucks.”</p><p>“What? No, I mean <em>parties</em>. College parties. That thing you go to to get trashed?”</p><p>“Ah,” Neil says, not liking the sound of where this is going. “Not a big fan of that either.”</p><p>“I don’t believe you. What kind of person doesn’t like parties?”</p><p>“A person like me.”</p><p>“Have you ever even been to one?” At Neil’s guilty silence, Allison swiftly turns around and slaps him in the chest. “Oh my god, you’re a party virgin! I’m totally going to take your V-Card.”</p><p>“Please,” Neil says, “take your fist and eat it.”</p><p>“Don’t be silly. You don’t know how much work that mouth can do,” she tells him with a wink, and then her eyes widen. “Oh, you’re probably an actual virgin too.”</p><p>Neil decides not to comment.</p><p>“But you did drink before, right?”</p><p>“<em>Yes,” </em>he grits out.</p><p>Allison lets out a dramatic sigh and resumes their walk. “Good, because I don’t wanna be responsible for you passing out tomorrow.”</p><p>“Tomorrow?”</p><p>“The party I’m taking you to. Keep up.”</p><p>He’s pretty sure Allison didn’t mention it, but he doesn’t see the point in telling her. Besides, it’s stupid anyway because he won’t be going anywhere. “Allison, I told you I don’t want you sticking your nose into my personal life.”</p><p>“You’re acting like I broke into your therapist’s office and read your file. Come on, it’s just a party.”</p><p>“Exactly. Just a party. That I don’t need to attend.”</p><p>“And I’m a girl with a lot of zeroes in her bank account. Doesn’t mean I have to spend the money either, but you don’t see me going out dressed like a hobo, do you?”</p><p>“I said no.”</p><p>“Please. It’s just one party.”</p><p>“Why is this so important to you?”</p><p>“Oh, it’s not, shorty,” They come to a halt when Neil reaches his dorm. “But it’s fun. Or could be if you let me.”</p><p>Neil’s not sure what’s worse: Allison taking a genuine interest in him and digging deeper until she finds something to properly chew on, or him being a brief entertainment in her otherwise picture-perfect life. It both kind of sucks.</p><p>He unlocks the door with his key card and says, “Goodbye.”</p><p>“See you tomorrow!”</p><p>“I —“But Allison doesn’t bother to hear him out, taking off at a speed Neil didn’t know five-inch high heels even allowed. He lets out a big sigh and trots up the stairs to his one-room apartment. This isn’t going to end well.</p>
<hr/><p>The next day, nine on the dot, his doorbell rings. Neil considers not answering it, knowing who and what will be standing behind it. He really does. And somehow he still gets up and opens the door.</p><p>Maybe Neil is just like Allison: bored. Or perhaps he’s tired of running from everyone and everything.</p><p>Allison greets him with a brilliant smile, perfectly curled platinum hair, and an outfit of skirt and top that emphasizes every curve and smooth patch of skin. “I knew you secretly wanted to go.”</p><p>“Did not,” Neil replies. “I just didn’t want you to annoy me for the rest of our assignment.”</p><p>“Uh-uh. So you’re gonna change or what? People and fun are awaiting, shorty.”</p><p>Neil looks down at himself. “I can go like this.”</p><p>“No, you can’t,” she replies, and he gives her a frown. Allison waves him aside and strides into his apartment, shaking her head on her way. “Seriously, Neil. People at college are open-minded, but you could at least make an effort not to assault them with your tragic choice of clothes. And what is <em>this?” </em>She glances around his apartment. “It looks like you just moved in.”</p><p>“I did. The semester only started three months ago,” he says.</p><p>Allison shoots him a look of disbelief before heading straight to his closet, again not bothering to ask for permission. “Three months is basically the whole semester. Whatever, let’s look at what we have here.” She proceeds to rumble through his clothes and dismiss every piece of clothing that her hands land on. “No. No. God no. Nope —“</p><p>Watching her go through his private things like that makes Neil’s fingers twitch with the urge to take an object and make this stop. Of course, he doesn’t.</p><p><em>It’s just the way Allison is</em>, he tells himself. <em>There’s no need to make himself look more guilty than he already does. </em></p><p>Still, it doesn’t feel right. At least, the box with his <em>really personal </em>belongings is safely hidden in a safe under his bed.</p><p>Finally, Allison fishes out a shirt that Neil hasn’t worn in years — thin, black material with a semi turtle neck and probably way too tight — along with black pants.</p><p>“That will do for today,” Allison throws the clothes at him, “but we will have to freshen up that wardrobe ASAP.”</p><p>Neil doesn’t reply and instead makes a point of going to his small bathroom to change. There’s only so much privacy this girl can invade. When he’s done, he looks in the mirror and tries not to look away immediately.</p><p>It’s been nearly five months since his father died. Five months since Neil spent days trapped in darkness and pain, tortured and disfigured just so his father could make a statement of his place in the world. He would always be a Wesninski, they had told him before melting away the skin on his cheek.</p><p>Afterward, Neil spent days avoiding the mirror. His actual hair and eye color were bad enough; the wounds on his face even worse.</p><p>Now his hair is back to the same dark color that he’d dyed them to on the run, perfect to disappear in the crowd. His eyes, however, remain the eyes of the butcher. They had to since that was what the FBI printed on his first real ID.</p><p>Neil closes his eyes for a moment and then leaves the bathroom. They go downstairs in silence for once, joining a few other students heading out in the stairwell. Allison leads him to a cozy, pink, and expensive-looking car and packs him in there.</p><p>On the road, Neil asks, “Why is there a party on a Thursday?”</p><p>“Of course you’d ask that,” Allison scoffs. “It’s like you’ve had an entirely different college experience than the rest of us.”</p><p>It takes them five minutes to get to the location of the party which Neil is thankful for. Assuming Allison is going to drink tonight, he’ll have to walk home later on. Since the route is pretty short, it’s easy to remember.</p><p>The party takes place in some people’s frat house. There are already a bunch of students hanging around on the porch, bottles, and cigarettes in their hands, drunk smiles on their faces. Allison leads him past them, greeting a few people now and then. Inside it’s packed with even more people, some unfamiliar hip-hop song blasting from the speakers.</p><p>Allison glances around for a moment before seeing something or someone and tugging Neil towards a group of people lounging around in the kitchen. Before they can even enter some tall black guy spots them coming and whoops across the room. “Reynolds! You made it!”</p><p>“Of course I made it,” Allison shouts back but gives him and the other people a hug. “This is Neil,” she says after she’s done with the greetings, basically pushing him in front of her and patting his head in a very annoyingly condescending way.</p><p>“Hey,” he says.</p><p>“Matt,” the guy introduces himself with a wide grin. “I think I’ve seen your face in my finance class!”</p><p>Neil shrugs. “Probably.”</p><p>The others introduce themselves as Dan — who is also Matt’s girlfriend from the way she is leaning against him, Renee, and Nicky — who Neil also shares a class with.</p><p>“I can’t believe I’m seeing your pretty face for the first time at a party,” Nicky says with a mock gasp. “Where have you been hiding all this time, Neil?”</p><p>“It’s his first party,” Allison answers for him.</p><p>That gets out a very dramatic reaction from everyone, which Neil doesn’t understand at all. It’s just a party. What’s the big deal?</p><p>“So, what did you do every evening until now?” Dan asks.</p><p>Neil frowns. “Studying. Sleeping?”</p><p>“Beep,” Allison basically shouts. “Wrong answer.”</p><p>“At least your grades must be pretty good then,” Renee says and offers him a smile that confuses him more than it assures him. There’s something about her that doesn’t quite <em>fit</em>.</p><p>“Not really,” Neil admits, rubbing the back of his neck. “I think I underestimated how easy college was going to be.”</p><p>“Yeah, welcome to the club, dude,” Matt says, laughing. “That’s how we all feel.”</p><p>“Also, why we get drunk five times a week.” Dan raises a bottle of Vodka and asks, “Shots anyone?”</p><p>Everyone aside from Neil and Renee agrees cheerfully. When Allison notices that Neil abstains, she shoots him a questioning glance.</p><p>He shrugs. “I don’t drink.”</p><p>“One day I’m going to ask you so many questions,” she tells him. “One day.”</p><p>No one else comments, and they throw back their drinks as a group, following it up with another two rounds. Then Matt starts coughing into his hand and decides he wants to switch back to mixing his drinks. Dan joins him.</p><p>They’re all friendly and with each minute that passes: drunker, which is just fine with him. Neil mostly listens to them talk, not offering much himself except when someone directly asks him questions. Dan and Nicky do a lot of that in the beginning, but as the night progresses, they find themselves more exciting tasks to do, like making out with Matt — in Dan’s case — and going to the living room that also equals as the dance floor in Nicky’s. Neil slips away when Allison and Renee disappear together.</p><p>He immediately considers going home. After a moment of hesitation, though, Neil decides he will say at least goodbye to Allison before leaving, so instead, he palms the pack of cigarettes through his jacket and heads outside. Here, there aren’t as many people as out in the front.</p><p>Neil sits down on the steps of the terrace and lights a cigarette. He takes a drag and then lets the rest burn away in his hand, breathing in the smell of the smoke.</p><p>The smell that reminds him of his mother’s corpse burning shouldn’t be so comforting and yet. For a few minutes, it gives him the illusion that his mother is somewhere close by. For a few minutes, he isn’t completely alone in this world.</p><p>“You are Reynold’s charity case.”</p><p>Neil blinks and glances at the person who said that. It’s one of the people who were already here when he came outside. On further inspection, he’s also someone Neil saw around campus in the past. He’s short — shorter than even Neil’s disappointing 5’3 feet — always wears armbands and a blank expression. He’s the type of person Neil generally tries to steer away from as much as possible. He stands out in masses. Neil wants the opposite.</p><p>“I’m not a charity case,” he replies and gazes back at the cigarette in his hands.</p><p>“And Reynolds is not a millionaire, and the sky is not blue,” the boy answers.</p><p>Neil huffs out a bitter laugh before shooting him a look. “If I’m the charity case, what are you? The assigned goth around here?”</p><p>There’s not enough lighting here to make out the expression on his face, but Neil doubts he gets anything other than a blank look in return.</p><p>For a while, Neil doesn’t think he will get any response at all, but when the guy stands up to head inside, he says, “That’s waste of perfectly good nicotine.”</p><p>Neil huffs, but before he’s able to respond, he hears the door click shut behind him. The sheer audacity.</p><p>For the rest of his cigarette break, thankfully, no one else bothers him with annoying comments and remarks, and he enjoys the small relief of silence. When he’s done, he goes back inside and makes it his mission to find Allison which isn’t as easy as it sounds. It turns out there’s a lot of people with similar hair, which results in a lot of awkward shoulder taps. In the end, Neil spots her sitting on one of the many couches in the spacious living room, nibbling on her drink with her eyes set on some people across the room.</p><p>“I thought you said <em>I </em>was the antisocial one.”</p><p>Allison tears her eyes away upon his arrival, waving a hand. “Shut up, shorty.” Her words slur a little. “You know, you’re reallyyyy short. I didn’t even know such short people existed until I came here and met the Twinyards’ nd you.”</p><p>“Twinyards?” Neil asks, frowning.</p><p>“You know. Twins. Minyards. Short ‘n evil.”</p><p>“Ah. Well, we exist, Allison. Anyway —”</p><p>“But y’ know, at least you —” She stabs a finger in his direction. “— have a gorgeous face. Really. You’re very pretty. You’ll have to work on your personality a bit, but it’s doable. The twinyards how’ ver — satan’s spawns, ’m telling you.”</p><p>Neil can’t help but huff out a laugh. “Thanks, I guess.”</p><p>“Anytime, shorty! ’s the least I can do for the A you’re getting us since you won’t lemme set you up and —”</p><p>Taking this as a cue to cut off this very awkward conversation, Neil interrupts her. “I came to tell you I’m going home. So don’t… worry.”</p><p>“Oh nooo, you’re going already?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Nooo, stay, Neil. Neilo. Stay.” All Neil does in reply is give her his most natural unimpressed look, and this time, he wins the staring contest. Allison relents with a sigh. “Fine. But — but only if you lemme set up a twiddur account.”</p><p>Neil frowns. “A what?”</p><p>“Twiddur,” she repeats, slurring.</p><p>Still oblivious, he shrugs. “Whatever. I’m going now. Drink some water, Allison.”</p><p>“Hey, you’re the party virgin, not me, shorty,” he hears her call after him, but Neil ignores her, his eyes on the girl with pastel-colored strands he was introduced to earlier. Renee, her name is. He still remembers that she doesn’t drink and that something about her friendly exterior feels off. Not particularly in a bad way. Just... off.</p><p>Renee is in a conversation with another girl when he taps her shoulder. Still, turning around, she doesn’t seem upset about the distraction. “Hello, Neil,” she says.</p><p>“Hi. Can you take care of Allison?”</p><p>Her gaze wanders behind him, smile softening. “Of course.” Then Renee looks back at Neil. “Are you leaving?”</p><p>Neil nods, hoping this won’t turn into another round of convincing someone he doesn’t need to stay at this party, but Renee only nods understandingly. “Do you need a ride?”</p><p>“Oh,” he says stupidly. “No, that’s fine. My dorm’s not far from here.”</p><p>“If you’re sure,” she says, smiling. “Good night, Neil. I’ll make sure Allison gets home safely, too.”</p><p>“Thanks.” He gives her one last grateful smile before heading into the fresh night air. As he passes the happily oblivious people scattered in the front yard and even that guy from the porch, smoking again but with another boy next to him now, it both feels like a relief to leave and a loss.</p><p>His father’s death was supposed to put an end to the running and hiding. Yet, it feels like he’s trapped more than ever, but this time the cage is in his own head, and the freedom that he’s been dying to taste his whole life crumbles like ash on his tongue.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I would obviously love to hear what you think comments and reviews give me a reason to live this sad life. Also feel free to talk to me on <a href="https://twitter.com/arkastadt">twiddur </a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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